Get Involved with the Forty Club!

18 Mar

Many people ask me why I play for the Forty Club; my usual answer is to help develop cricket and the spirit of cricket among the Scottish Schools. However there are so many more reasons. I had played, as many will have, in my local District League, I mixed with the players of the opposing teams but over the thirty-five years or so that was really the same players.

When I started to play for the Forty Club I was suddenly meeting and playing with many players I had never come across during my club career and how good was that. An opportunity to share different memories and stories.

This however was brought into even more focus when in discussion with the C.E.O. of Cricket Scotland. He suggested I was really fortunate to play Forty Club Cricket in Scotland. He went on to say, “How many people get to play in the same team as The President of Cricket Scotland, Scotland’s Grand Slam winning captain, The M.D. of Edinburgh Rugby, The Senior Sports Writer of the Herald Newspaper, A Scottish Football Legend, a former captain of Warwickshire County Cricket Club, several former Scotland International Cricketers and some good mates to boot” It was then that I realized just how lucky and privileged I was. The Forty Club is a vehicle for all sorts to play, mix and socialize within the cricket environment.

Roddy Smith, the C.E.O. of Cricket Scotland, believes that is one reason why the club is so successful and popular north of the border.

For the record the following are The President of Cricket Scotland (Colin Neill), Scotland’s Grand Slam winning captain (David Sole), The M.D. of Edinburgh Rugby (David Davies), The Senior Sports Writer of the Herald Newspaper (Kevin Ferrie), A Scottish Football Legend (Andy Goram), a former captain of Warwickshire County Cricket Club (Michael Powell), several former Scotland International Cricketers (Alex Steele, Willie Donald, David Johnston, Dale De Neef, Neil Burnett and Alex Davies, among others), the good mates are too many to mention.

So is the FORTY CLUB for you? There are Midweek and Sunday cricket all over Scotland at some of the finest grounds. The main club has an annual dinner in the Long Room at Lord’s at which members can attend. This season in the Scotland District there are 30 fixtures, 14 of them vs schools, The season starts on April 15th at Fettes College and closes on September 21st at Carradale. Full membership at only £25 pa for over 35s; associate membership at only £10 pa for 18 to 35s: free membership deals for schoolmasters in charge of cricket! If you love good cricket like we love good cricket, come and join us. Find us at www.thefortyclub.co.uk or our Facbook page, alternatively you can call Colin Neill on 0770 338 7110 or email him on nilocllien@hotmail.co.uk